Carton forming machines



April 11, 1967 R. GARWOOD 3,313,537

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet l o a a o u u April 11, 1967 1 R. GARWOOD 3,333,537

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IMvEM-roE A-rwrcaawsvs A ril 11, 1967 R. GARWOOD 3,333,537

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l'uvam-roa April 11, 1967 R. GARWOOD CARTON FORMING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTDR 8V7 MW, 194 $4M AT-rowotavs A ril 11, 1967 R, GARWQOD 3,313,537

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 e Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEMTDE 3? w arw ATTORNEYS A m n, 1967 R. GARWOOD 33 CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 AT'T OEMEVs United States Patent Ofitice 3,312,537 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 3,313,537 CARTGN FORMENG MACHINES Roy Garwood, Rayleigh, Essex, England, assignor to Pembroke Carton and Printing Company Limited, Essex, England, a British company Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,375 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 31', 1964, 4,349/64 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-30) The invention concerns improvements relating to carton blank handling apparatus for use in conjunction with carton erecting machinery, in particular of the die-plunger type in which carton blanks positioned over the mouth of the die for erection in the die by the plunger are ejected in erected condition through the opposite end of the die.

Usually such apparatus and machinery is disposed to feed the blanks and erected cartons generally vertically downwards. This involves certain limitations and disadvantages, and an object of the invention is to provide improved blank handling apparatus which allows substantially horizontal operation and affords considerable advantages as later explained.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved blank handling apparatus which allows substantially horizontal operation and which includes improved magazine means for feeding a pack of blanks to a take-off position.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved blank handling apparatus which allows substantially horizontal operation arid includes conveyor means comprising substantially upright guide means against which suction means moves a blank and which directs the blank edgewise under gravitational influence into the nip of feed roller means for conveying the blank edgewise downwardly to a desired position ready for erection.

An embodiment of apparatus according to the invention is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the carton blank handling apparatus in conjunction with a substantially horizontal carton erecting die and plunger assembly,

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus,

FIG. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the apparatus as seen in the direction of arrow III of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows details of the lead screw drive on an enlarged scale and corresponding with FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 shows details of the conveyor means at the forward end of the magazine on an enlarged scale and corresponding with FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 shows details of the drive to the suction mechanism on an enlarged scale and corresponding with FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 illustrates some details of the operation of the apparatus.

The carton forming machinery with which the apparatus is to be used is of the die-plunger type in particular for erecting large size cartons for example shirt boxes. As is well known, and indicated only diagrammatically in FIG. 1, a die-plunger type of carton forming machine comprises a frame 1 on which is mounted a reciprocable plunger assembly comprising a plunger block 2 which is moved into and out of a die 3 corresponding in shape with the plunger block, the die being carried by the frame and receiving the carton blanks in turn in a position p3 flat over the mouth 4 of the die in the path of movement of the plunger block.

In the present example, in order to facilitate the handling of the erected cartons, and the loading of the magazine, the die-plunger assembly, instead of being disposed vertically as has hitherto commonly been the case, is arranged substantially horizontally. For example, it may be horizontal as herein illustrated, or have an upward inclination of about 20 from the mouth to the ejection end 5 of the die. The purpose of this is two-fold. In the first place, it enables the erected cartons 6 to be delivered on edge in a row from the machine onto a working surface 7 at a convenient bench height, the cartons being pushed out one behind the other andad vanced onto the bench by the. machine- In the second place, it enables the magazine 8 for the carton blanks 9 to. be positioned above the level of the mouth of the die whilst at the same time not being too high for recharging by an operator. The magazine is disposed to feed a pack of blanks forwardly towards a take-01f position p1 with the blanks standing on edge with a small angle of backward inclination. A suction gripping device 10 ex tracts the blanks one at a time from the front of the pack by moving the front blank forwardly away from the pack and out of the magazine to a position p2 in which it lies flat generally in the plane of and above the mouth of the die. The blank is then conveyed edgewise, in part by gravity, downwardly to its position p3 over the mouth of the die ready for conversion in the die when it is forced into the die by the plunger block.

The above described horizontal arrangement of the magazine enables the pressure on the front blank in the magazine to be made independent of the weight of blanks in the magazine, which in the known vertical arrangements varies depending upon the number of blanks left in the magazine, and which, it has been found, can be a factor which leads to difficulties in obtaining satisfactory operation of apparatus of the present kind.

The detailed construction of the magazine 8 which comprises two spaced cast frame sides 8 is as follows. A pair of endless, free running conveyor belts 11 is provided arranged side by side and spaced apart, the upper run of the belts, which are supported each on a series of idler rollers 12 including grooved end rollers 12' mounted in channel beams 12 fixed longitudinally in the frame 13, the belts and rollers constituting a support means for a pack of carton blanks 9 stood on edge on the belts. If desired, the magazine can be upwardly inclined corresponding to the above mentioned inclination of the die.- plunger assembly. Extending between the belts, parallel therewith, and below the level of their upper run, is a lead screw 14 mounted in bearings 15 and connected to be driven, through a drive comprising a chain 16 and sprockets 17, by an electric motor 18. Two mounting blocks 19, 20 are freely slidable to and fro along the lead screw on underneath supports 21 which prevent rotation of the blocks about the lead screw. The forward mounting block 19 carries a half-nut 22 which may be displaced downwardly in relation to the block, against the action of coiled compression springs, e.g. as indicated at 23, so as to threadedly engage the lead screw and thereby couple the block to the lead screw for movement therealong as the lead screw is rotated. The block 19 has a slot 24 to receive a tongue 25 on a subsidiary pressure plate 26 and thereby support the plate in a generally upright position in which, nevertheless, it i somewhat rearwardly inclined from its lower to its upper edge when considered relative to the upper run of the conveyor belts. Ball catch means 27, 28 are provided to retain the tongue in the slot. The tongue is arranged to depress the halfnut 22 when it is pushed home into the slot and the ball catch means hold the tongue to hold the half-nut on the lead screw. The rearward mounting block 20 permanently carries, e.g. integrally a main pressure plate 29 which lies immediately behind and parallel with the subsidiary pressure plate 26 when the subsidiary pressure plate is in position, occupying a vertical recess 29 in the front of the main pressure plate. In order to couple the rearward mounting block 20 with the lead screw, this block also carries a half-nut 30 which may be held in a raised position out of contact with the lead screw under the action of spring means, e.g. as indicated at 31. The block has a rod 32 rockably mounted thereon, and the rod carries a handle 33 permitting the block to be slid rearwardly by the operator when it is released from the lead screw. The rod carries a cam 34 such that on turning the handle in one direction the nut is raised to decouple the block from the lead screw and on turning the handle in the other direction the nut is lowered to couple the block to the lead screw.

During normal working of the magazine, the main pressure plate 29 engages behind a pack of blanks in the magazine and advances the pack between side lays 35, which are mounted for transverse adjustment by way of slotted cross bars 35A and wing nuts 35B, the conveyor belts 11 freely moving with the pack, so that the front blank in the pack in position )1 is held pressed against a pair of abutment fingers 36 which are mounted on upright flanges 35' at the forward end of the side lays 35 for vertical and transverse adjustment and are located one on each side to engage the front blank in marginal regions close to the two upright edges of the blank. Any other suitable arrangement of such abutment fingers can be used, eg depending from a cross bar to engage the upper edge of the blank.

The pack of blanks is thrust against the abutment fingers by the pressure plate and a micro-switch 37 is provided, adjustably carried by a mounting plate 37' at the lower forward end of one of the channel beams 12", to be operated through its trigger arm 38 by the lower edge of the front blank when the latter reaches the takeoff position p1 in which it is presented for extraction from the magazine. The switch 37 is connected to control the electric motor 18 driving the lead screw and arranged to switch off the motor when it is operated as above described. When a blank is extracted from the magazine, the pressure on the abutment finger and front blank is relieved, and the switch 37 restarts the lead screw driving motor 18 to advance the pack of blanks to bring the succeeding front blanks to the take-off position. Thus the switch 37 is actuated by the front blank of the pack in response to pressure exerted on such blank to stop the motor when such blank is in take-off position. This provides one means of controlling the pressure plate drive automatically in accordance with the rate of extraction of the blanks from the magazine. The switch 37 may act to one side of the lower edge of the face of the front blank, and a corresponding dummy spring-loaded trigger arm 38' may act to the other side to balance the resistance forces offered to the blank.

A further electric switch 39 is provided operable through a depressible plate 40 by the forward mounting block when it reaches an intermediate position, for example three quarters of the way along the lead screw, to initiate an alarm signal, e.g. a flashing lamp 41 carried on a bridge frame work 41 warning the operator that the magazine needs to be recharged.

The magazine may be recharged without stopping the machine by inserting the subsidiary pressure plate in position, decoupling the rearward mounting block and pulling the main pressure plate back to a rearmost position, inserting a fresh pack of blanks between the subsidiary pressure plate and the main pressure plate, pushing the primary pressure plate forward to advance the fresh pack of blanks tight against the back of the subsidiary pressure plate, recoupling the rearward mounting block to the lead screw and then withdrawing the subsidiary pressure plate.

In order to keep the forward mounting block 19 in a required position in relation to the rearward mounting block when the forward mounting block is not coupled to the lead screw, a counter-weight 42 is connected via cord 43 and pulleys 44, 45 to the forward mounting block urging it to slide along the lead screw to abut against the rearward mounting block. A fine adjustment stop screw 46 is provided to initially set the two blocks A, as required when they are in their abutting relation, to ensure proper threaded engagement of their half-nuts with the lead screw.

A still further electric switch 47 is provided, which is operated when the forward mounting block reaches a forwardmost position, to stop the electric motor 13 driving the lead screw.

The feed mechanism for extracting the front blank from the magazine and for conveying the blank to a position flat over the die mouth will now be described.

This comprises a first shaft 48 journalled in the frame by bearings 49, arms 50, 51 keyed on the first shaft, and a second shaft 52 journalled in bearings 53 in said arms. The arm also presents a crank arm 54 driven by a connecting rod 55 from a crank 56 on the output shaft 56' of a reduction gear box 57 in turn driven by a second electric motor 58.

In this way the second shaft 52 is caused to oscillate to and fro through a restricted arc whilst being maintained parallel with the first shaft 48 journalled in the frame of the machine. The second shaft carries at one end a radial rod arm 59 which slides in a sleeve 60 pivoted at 61 on the frame. The rod controls the overall turning angle of the second shaft 52 as will hereinafter be more fully explained. The second shaft extends horizontally across the front of the magazine and moves towards and away from the front blank in the magazine during its oscillating movement, the shaft approaching the front blank on a level at about the mid height of the blank. The shaft carries two cross arms 62 adjustably secured thereon and each arm carries a pair of suction grippers 63 one on each limb so that two grippers lie above 'the shaft and two below the shaft. The grippers are adjustable along the limbs of the cross arms 62 by way of slots 62 therein and are positioned to engage the front blank in the magazine symmetrically about the centre of area of the blank when the shaft reaches its posi-' tion of nearest approach to the blank.

The suction grippers 63 may be of any known or convenient form. In the present example they comprise cups having central apertures suitably connected as later described with a reduced pressure source comprising a suction pump 64 driven by the second electric motor 58. The suction grippers grip the exposed front face of the front blank in the magazine and as the first shaft swings away from the magazine the grippers move the blank away from the pack of blanks in the magazine and out of the magazine in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the blank. As the blank is extracted, it flexes to permit the upright edge regions of the blank to move past the abutment fingers 36 at the front of the magazine.

The suction grippers carry the blank against face guides 65 fractionally before the second shaft 52 reaches its position of maximum retreat from the magazine. The guides are mounted by brackets 65 on two frame cross shafts 66, 67 for transverse adjustment and positioned in a common plane symmetrically in relation to the blank and the suction grippers. The guides are preferably slightly rearwardly inclined, the lower ends of the guides lying a little closer to the front end of the magazine than the upper end of the guides. The purpose of this is to ensure that when the blank is released by the suction grippers, it lies against the guides by gravitational action.

The guides are arranged to direct the blank, under gra vitational action, into the nip of two pairs of conveyor rollers 68, 69 disposed horizontally, below the level of the guides. Lower generally vertical face guides 65A adjustably mounted in the frame are curved down into the plane of the nip to assist to this end. The conveyor rollers 68 are mounted on a drive shaft 70 carried in frame bearings 71 and presenting a pulley 72 to be driven via a belt 73 from the second electric motor 58 as later more specifically described. The conveyor rollers grasp the blank and drive it downwardly in edge'wise fashion to its desired position p3 over the mouth of the die in the path of movement of the plunger block. As the blank emerges from between the conveyor rollers its side edges are received in further channel guides 74 which ensure that the blank moves properly to its required final position.

The conveyor rollers 69 are carried by the mounting brackets 55' of the face guides 65 which we cut-away at 65 to accommodate the movement of the second shaft 52. The channel guides 74 depend downwards from adjustable side lay extensions 74 which We mounted on the frame cross shaft 67 for transverse adjustment, to align with the transversely adjustable side lays 35. Each channel guide 74 includes a longitudinal member 75 secured thereto to define a U-section channel 76 down to just above the mouth of the carton erecting die 3. Pegs '77 at the lower ends of the channel members 75 serve to locate the apparatus relative to the die. The channel guides 74 extend further downwards each to present an L-section at 78 supporting the blank upright over the die month.

In order that the suction grippers 63 may release the blank when it is applied against the vertical face guides 65, a suction relief valve 79 is provided to be automatically operated as the second shaft 52 moves to its forward position.

In its position in which it is applied against the vertical face guides 65, the lower edge of a blank is positioned close to and square with the nip of the conveyor rollers 68, 69. The blank therefore has only a short distance to fall whilst in contact with the guides before it is gripped by the conveyor rollers. It is of importance that the blank falls squarely into the nip and to ensure that this happens special provision is made to ensure that all the suction grippers release the blank at the same time. To this end the suction relief valve 79 is mounted together with an integral junction box 80 on the second shaft 52, the box 80 being connected via a flexible hose 81 to the suction pump 64, which includes a suitable suction adjustment valve. Thus the valve is close to the grippers 63 on the moving mechanism and disposed substantially centrally of the group of grippers. The grippers are connected to the junction box and valve each by identical lengths of piping 82 and the valve is normally closed by a latch or key 83 (like a musical instrument key) urged by a spring 33 into closed position but is opened at the appropriate moment when the key strikes a stationary abutment ramp 84- on the frame. The valve, when opened, connects the suction grippers with atmosphere to destroy their suction grip on the blank end, because all the grippers are identically connected with the valve, they are all caused to release the blank at the same moment.

The sliding rod 59 previously described is initially in line with the long axis of the cross arms 62 carrying the suction grippers when the grippers pick up the blank from the magazine. The sleeve 60 in which the rod slides is pivoted at 61 on an axis parallel with but well below the axis of said first shaft 48 and the long axis of the cross-arms remain directed always towards the pivot axis of the sleeve. The cross-arms therefore turn through a smaller angle A than the angle B turned through by the arms 50, 51 carrying the second shaft 52. This smaller angle A corresponds with that made between the face guides 65 and the front blank in the magazine. The second electric motor 58 and the suction pump 64 are mounted on a common base 90 which is movable in transversely inclined channels 91 with respect to the frame, by means of a manually rotatable lead screw 92, towards and away from the reduction gear box 57 which is fixed on the frame. The motor shaft carries an expanding pulley 93 connected by an endless belt 94 to drive a pulley 95 on the input drive shaft 96 of the gear box. By moving the electric motor in relation to the gear box the expanding pulley is caused to expand or contract due to the change of tension in the endless belt thereby to alter the effective diameter of the expanding pulley and therefore the relative speeds of the motor shaft and the input drive shaft to the gear box. An infinitely variable reduction speed drive is accordingly provided for adjusting the rate at which the feed mechanism feeds the carton blanks to the conveyor rollers 68, 69. The driven conveyor rollers 68 are driven by means of the endless belt drive 93 from a pulley 97 on the input drive shaft of the reduction gear box, by way of a belt 98 and a pulley shaft 99, 1% mounted in bearings 161 in the frame. The speed of the conveyor rollers is thus related to the speed of the feed mechanism and is infinitely variable therewith by adjusting the position of the second electric motor 58 as above described. The idler conveyor rollers 69 are mounted on the face guide mounting brackets 65' by swinging arms 102 and urged by spring means 103 into contact with the driven conveyor rollers 68. If desired a micro switch may be actuated by the arms 102 to stop the feed mechanism if the nip between the conveyor rollers is caused to open by more than a predetermined amount. In this way the feed mechanism may be prevented from feeding two carton blanks at once into the nip of the conveyor rollers and therefore to the die-plunger assembly.

The control means for the pressure plate drive includes a further micro-switch 104 carried on a frame cross shaft 105 and connected in the circuit of the electric motor 18 driving the lead screw, and actuated by an edge cam 166 fixed on the crank 56 to rotate coaxially with the output shaft 56 of the reduction gear box 57, so as to stop the motor 18 during a period from immediately before to immediately after the extracting means has removed a front blank from the magazine, i.e. through the angle C. This prevents inadvertant operation of the lead screw under the control of the pressure switch 37 due to spurious pressures arising when the suction grippers contact the front blank of the pack.

The suction extraction mechanism may carry a prodder 107 adjustably mounted on the shaft 52 so as to be located substantially in the centre of the group of suction grippers to engage the front blank in the magazine and flatten the blank in the event that it should be slightly bowed. Since the blanks are flexed when they are extracted from the magazine there may be a tendency for the underlying blanks to become arched in corresponding fashion and such striker would counteract that effect.

The carton erecting plunger would be driven by a compressed air motor actuated in response to the positioning of a blank over the mouth of the die. It will be appreciated therefore that the speed of the whole apparatus can be governed by the speed of operation of the extraction mechanism.

The apparatus is adjustable for dilferent sizes of blank as indicated.

I claim:

1. Carton blank handling apparatus for use in conjunction with carton erecting machinery, comprising:

(a) a magazine comprising support means to support a pack of carton blanks with the blanks standing on edge, a main pressure plate to engage behind the pack of blanks, means to drive the pressure plate to advance the pack of blanks in a substantially horizontal direction along the support means as blanks are extracted from the front of the pack at a take-off position, abutment means against which the front blank of the pack is urged by the pressure plate and past which the front blank is extracted by a flexing action on the blank, a subsidiary pressure plate which is insertable in front of the main pressure plate and the pack of blanks in the magazine;

'(b) means to extract the front blank from the magazine in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the blank;

(c) means controlling the pressure plate drive auto- 7 matically in accordance with the rate of extraction of blanks from the magazine;

(d) disconnectible coupling means connecting the main pressure plate with the drive means, upon disconnection of which the pressure plate is freed for movement back away from a partially used pack of blanks in the magazine;

(e) a subsidiary disconnectable coupling means to connect the subsidiary pressure plate with the drive means such that the subsidiary pressure plate can take over the function of the main pressure plate temporarily during reloading of the magazine, and

(f) conveyor means to receive the blank from the extracting means and convey the blank edgewise downwardly to a desired position ready for erection.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pressure plate drive means comprises a lead screw drivable by an electric motor, a mounting block for each pressure plate freely slidable along the lead screw on a support preventing rotation of the block about the lead screw, a half-nut carried by the mounting block, and means to displace such half-nut relative to the block into and out of threaded engagement with the lead screw, the mounting block for the subsidiary pressure plate presenting a slot to receive a tongue on such plate to support such plate in position, the tongue being arranged to depress the half-nut against release spring means into engagement with the lead screw,

and releasable catch means retaining the tongue in the slot.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the mounting block for the subsidiary pressure plate i forward of the mounting block for the main pressure plate, and means is provided to urge such forward mounting block when disengaged from the lead screw rearwards to abut against the rearward mounting block.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the control means for the pressure plate drive includes switch means in the circuit of the electric motor driving the lead screw and actuated by the front blank of the pack in response to pressure exerted on such blank to stop the motor when such blank is in take-off position.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein further control means includes further switch means operable by a pressure plate mounting block, a first switch means to initiate a signal warning in a .position of the block when the magazine needs to be recharged, and a second switch means to stop the motor when the block reaches a forwardmost position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the blank support means comprises a pair of endless conveyor belts running freely on idler rollers mounted in the frame of the apparatus.

7. Carton blank handling apparatus for use in conjunction with carton erecting machinery, comprising:

(a) a magazine to hold a pack of carton blanks with the blanks standing on edge and feed the pack of blanks forwards in a substantially horizontal direction to a take-off position at which a front blank of the pack is presented for extractions from the magazine;

(b) means to extract the front blank from the maga zine comprising suction means to grip the exposed front face of the front blank and moves such blank away from the pack and out of the magazine in a direction substantially normal to the plane or" the blank, a first shaft j ournalled in the frame of the apparatus, arms keyed on the first shaft, a second shaft journalled in said arms, crank means driving the first shaft with a rocking action to oscillate the second shaft through a restricted arc whilst maintained parallel with the first shaft, a rod carried radially by the second shaft, a sleeve pivoted on the frame and having the rod slidable therein, so as to control the turning angle of the second shaft to which the suction means is secured, and

(c) conveyor means comprising substantially upright guide means against which the suction means moves the blank and which directs the blank edgewise under gravitational influence into the nip of feed roller means for conveying the blank edgewise downwardly to a desired position ready for erection.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the suction means comprises a suction relief valve operated automatically as the suction means moves the blank against said guide means to release the blank from the suction means and a plurality of the suction grippers are connected to said suction relief valve by identical lengths of piping so that the grippers all release the blank simultaneously, an electric motor drives said conveyor feed roller means and said crank means by a drive means fixed in the frame of the apparatus, such motor also drives a suction pump, and the motor and pump are mounted on a common base for movement with respect to the frame such as to adjust the speeds of both the feed roller means and the crank means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of suction grippers adjustably carried on the limbs of cross arms adjustably secured to the second shaft so as to engage the front blank in a magazine symmetrically about the centre of area of the blank when the second shaft reaches a position of nearest approach to the blank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,295,055 9/1942 Rupp et a1. 271-30 X 2,444,504 7/1948 Grogan 271-30 2,792,218 5/1957 Marle 27l30 2,992,820 7/1961 Tarbuck et a1 27130 3,031,186 4/1962 Galloway 271-12 3,067,554 12/1962 De Back 53157 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,313,537 April 11, 1967 Roy Garwood certified that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby t the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and the corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification, line 8, for "4,349/64" read 4,348/64 Signed and sealed this 14th day of November 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. CARTON BLANK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH CARTON ERECTING MACHINERY, COMPRISING: (A) A MAGAZINE COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS TO SUPPORT A PACK OF CARTON BLANKS WITH THE BLANKS STANDING ON EDGE, A MAIN PRESSURE PLATE TO ENGAGE BEHIND THE PACK OF BLANKS, MEANS TO DRIVE THE PRESSURE PLATE TO ADVANCE THE PACK OF BLANKS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL DIRECTION ALONG THE SUPPORT MEANS AS BLANKS ARE EXTRACTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE PACK AT A TAKE-OFF POSITION, ABUTMENT MEANS AGAINST WHICH THE FRONT BLANK OF THE PACK IS URGED BY THE PRESSURE PLATE AND PAST WHICH THE FRONT BLANK IS EXTRACTED BY A FLEXING ACTION ON THE BLANK, A SUBSIDIARY PRESSURE PLATE WHICH IS INSERTABLE IN FRONT OF THE MAIN PRESSURE PLATE AND THE PACK OF BLANKS IN THE MAGAZINE; (B) MEANS TO EXTRACT THE FRONT BLANK FROM THE MAGAZINE IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE BLANK; (C) MEANS CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE PLATE DRIVE AUTOMATICALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RATE OF EXTRACTION OF BLANKS FROM THE MAGAZINE; (D) DISCONNECTIBLE COUPLING MEANS CONNECTING THE MAIN PRESSURE PLATE WITH THE DRIVE MEANS, UPON DISCONNECTION OF WHICH THE PRESSURE PLATE IS FREED FOR MOVEMENT BACK AWAY FROM A PARTIALLY USED PACK OF BLANKS IN THE MAGAZINE; (E) A SUBSIDIARY DISCONNECTABLE COUPLING MEANS TO CONNECT THE SUBSIDIARY PRESSURE PLATE WITH THE DRIVE MEANS SUCH THAT THE SUBSIDIARY PRESSURE PLATE CAN TAKE OVER THE FUNCTION OF THE MAIN PRESSURE PLATE TEMPORARILY DURING RELOADING OF THE MAGAZINE, AND (F) CONVEYOR MEANS TO RECEIVE THE BLANK FROM THE EXTRACTING MEANS AND CONVEY THE BLANK EDGEWISE DOWNWARDLY TO A DESIRED POSITION READY FOR ERECTION. 